US10191406B2 - Rotatable member and electrophotographic image forming apparatus including the rotatable member - Google Patents
Rotatable member and electrophotographic image forming apparatus including the rotatable member Download PDFInfo
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- US10191406B2 US10191406B2 US15/935,440 US201815935440A US10191406B2 US 10191406 B2 US10191406 B2 US 10191406B2 US 201815935440 A US201815935440 A US 201815935440A US 10191406 B2 US10191406 B2 US 10191406B2
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- rotation shaft
- rotatable member
- rotatable
- axial direction
- respect
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- G—PHYSICS
- G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
- G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
- G03G21/00—Arrangements not provided for by groups G03G13/00 - G03G19/00, e.g. cleaning, elimination of residual charge
- G03G21/16—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements
- G03G21/18—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements using a processing cartridge, whereby the process cartridge comprises at least two image processing means in a single unit
- G03G21/1839—Means for handling the process cartridge in the apparatus body
- G03G21/1857—Means for handling the process cartridge in the apparatus body for transmitting mechanical drive power to the process cartridge, drive mechanisms, gears, couplings, braking mechanisms
- G03G21/186—Axial couplings
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- G—PHYSICS
- G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
- G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
- G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
- G03G15/02—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for laying down a uniform charge, e.g. for sensitising; Corona discharge devices
- G03G15/0208—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for laying down a uniform charge, e.g. for sensitising; Corona discharge devices by contact, friction or induction, e.g. liquid charging apparatus
- G03G15/0216—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for laying down a uniform charge, e.g. for sensitising; Corona discharge devices by contact, friction or induction, e.g. liquid charging apparatus by bringing a charging member into contact with the member to be charged, e.g. roller, brush chargers
- G03G15/0233—Structure, details of the charging member, e.g. chemical composition, surface properties
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- G—PHYSICS
- G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
- G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
- G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
- G03G15/02—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for laying down a uniform charge, e.g. for sensitising; Corona discharge devices
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
- G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
- G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
- G03G15/02—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for laying down a uniform charge, e.g. for sensitising; Corona discharge devices
- G03G15/0208—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for laying down a uniform charge, e.g. for sensitising; Corona discharge devices by contact, friction or induction, e.g. liquid charging apparatus
- G03G15/0216—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for laying down a uniform charge, e.g. for sensitising; Corona discharge devices by contact, friction or induction, e.g. liquid charging apparatus by bringing a charging member into contact with the member to be charged, e.g. roller, brush chargers
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- G—PHYSICS
- G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
- G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
- G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
- G03G15/06—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing
- G03G15/08—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing using a solid developer, e.g. powder developer
- G03G15/0806—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing using a solid developer, e.g. powder developer on a donor element, e.g. belt, roller
- G03G15/0808—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing using a solid developer, e.g. powder developer on a donor element, e.g. belt, roller characterised by the developer supplying means, e.g. structure of developer supply roller
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- G—PHYSICS
- G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
- G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
- G03G21/00—Arrangements not provided for by groups G03G13/00 - G03G19/00, e.g. cleaning, elimination of residual charge
- G03G21/16—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements
- G03G21/1642—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements for connecting the different parts of the apparatus
- G03G21/1647—Mechanical connection means
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- G—PHYSICS
- G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
- G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
- G03G21/00—Arrangements not provided for by groups G03G13/00 - G03G19/00, e.g. cleaning, elimination of residual charge
- G03G21/16—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements
- G03G21/18—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements using a processing cartridge, whereby the process cartridge comprises at least two image processing means in a single unit
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- G—PHYSICS
- G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
- G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
- G03G21/00—Arrangements not provided for by groups G03G13/00 - G03G19/00, e.g. cleaning, elimination of residual charge
- G03G21/16—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements
- G03G21/18—Mechanical means for facilitating the maintenance of the apparatus, e.g. modular arrangements using a processing cartridge, whereby the process cartridge comprises at least two image processing means in a single unit
- G03G21/1839—Means for handling the process cartridge in the apparatus body
- G03G21/1857—Means for handling the process cartridge in the apparatus body for transmitting mechanical drive power to the process cartridge, drive mechanisms, gears, couplings, braking mechanisms
- G03G21/1864—Means for handling the process cartridge in the apparatus body for transmitting mechanical drive power to the process cartridge, drive mechanisms, gears, couplings, braking mechanisms associated with a positioning function
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- G—PHYSICS
- G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
- G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
- G03G2215/00—Apparatus for electrophotographic processes
- G03G2215/02—Arrangements for laying down a uniform charge
- G03G2215/021—Arrangements for laying down a uniform charge by contact, friction or induction
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a voltage applying device for applying a voltage to a member-to-be-charged such as an electrophotographic photosensitive member or a dielectric member, a process cartridge including the voltage applying device and detachably mountable to an apparatus main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus and the electrophotographic image forming apparatus including the voltage applying device, and relates to a rotatable member for use with a rotatable driving member provided in the process cartridge or the electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
- the electrophotographic image forming apparatus forms an image on a recording medium (material) with use of an electrophotographic image forming type.
- an electrophotographic copying machine for example, an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (e.g., a laser beam printer, an LED printer, etc.), a facsimile machine, a word processor and the like are included.
- the apparatus main assembly is an image forming apparatus portion excluding the process cartridge from the electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
- the recording medium is a material on which the image is formed by the electrophotographic image forming apparatus, and for example, paper, OHT sheet, cloth and the like are included. Further, an image display member of an image display apparatus such as an electronic blackboard (white board) is also included.
- a process cartridge type in which a photosensitive member and a process means actable on the photosensitive member are integrally assembled into a cartridge (unit) and the cartridge is detachably mountable to an apparatus main assembly of the image forming apparatus is employed.
- this process cartridge type maintenance of the image forming apparatus can be carried out by a user himself (herself) without relying on a service person, so that operativity was able to be remarkably improved. Therefore, this process cartridge type has been widely used in the image forming apparatus.
- the process cartridge includes a photosensitive drum (electrophotographic photosensitive drum) which is an image bearing member as disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application (JP-A) 2005-164756, which also discloses a constitution including a charging roller for imparting electric charges to the photosensitive drum, a developing roller for supplying a developer (hereinafter referred to as “toner”) and a cleaning means for removing the toner remaining on a photosensitive drum surface without being transferred.
- a photosensitive drum electrostatic photosensitive drum
- JP-A 2005-164756 which also discloses a constitution including a charging roller for imparting electric charges to the photosensitive drum, a developing roller for supplying a developer (hereinafter referred to as “toner”) and a cleaning means for removing the toner remaining on a photosensitive drum surface without being transferred.
- the developing roller is rotated by receiving drive (driving force) from the apparatus main assembly and is contacted to the photosensitive drum, and thus continuously supplies the toner from a developer accommodating portion to the photosensitive drum surface.
- a plurality of rollers such as a developing roller and a charging roller are used, but any roller includes a solid metal shaft as a rotation shaft in general.
- JP-A 2015-197145 discloses a constitution in which a cylindrical shaft manufactured by press work and including a seamed portion (hereinafter referred to as a “seam”) over an entire region with respect to an axial direction is used as a rotation shaft of a roller.
- JP-A 2013-103234 discloses a constitution in which a gear which is a driving member is attached to a shaft end of a pressed rotation shaft and then the rotation shaft is rotated.
- the present invention is further development of the above-described conventional constitutions.
- a principal object of the present invention is to determine positions of a project and a driving member with respect to an axial direction of the rotation shaft with reliability or to suppress a positional fluctuation of the rotation shaft with respect to the axial direction of the rotation shaft by accurately determining the positions of the rotation shaft and the driving member with respect to the axial direction of the rotation shaft and thereby to suppress a rotational fluctuation of the rotation shaft.
- a rotatable member for use with a rotatable driving member provided in a process cartridge or an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the rotatable member comprising: a hollow cylindrical rotation shaft engageable with the rotatable driving member, wherein the rotation shaft includes a seam extending from one end to the other end thereof in an axial direction thereof, wherein the rotation shaft includes a transmitting surface engageable with the driving member and configured to receive a driving force for rotating the rotation shaft about the axial direction, and wherein the transmitting surface is twisted or inclined with respect to the axial direction.
- Parts (a), (b) and (c) of FIG. 1 are schematic views for illustrating a structure of a rotation shaft of a developing roller in Embodiment 1.
- Parts (a) and (b) of FIG. 2 are schematic views for illustrating an engagement constitution between the developing roller and a gear in Embodiment 1.
- Parts (a) and (b) of FIG. 3 are schematic views for illustrating an engagement constitution between a developing roller and a gear in Embodiment 2.
- FIG. 4 is a schematic view for illustrating an example of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
- FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a process cartridge.
- FIG. 6 is a front view of a developing unit.
- Parts (a) and (b) of FIG. 7 are schematic views for illustrating a developer supplying roller and a charging roller, respectively.
- a rotational axis direction (axial direction) of a photosensitive drum refers to as a longitudinal direction.
- FIG. 4 is a schematic structural view showing an electrophotographic image forming apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
- This image forming apparatus 100 is a printer in which a toner image corresponding to image information inputted from an external host device (not shown) such as a personal computer or an image reader is formed on a transfer (-receiving) material (recording material) which is a recording medium and is printed out.
- an external host device not shown
- a transfer (-receiving) material recording material
- the image forming apparatus 100 includes a photosensitive drum 1 as an image bearing member rotationally driven. At a periphery of the drum 1 , a charging roller 2 , an exposure device 102 , a developing roller 5 , a transfer roller 104 and a cleaning blade 6 are provided.
- the drum 1 , the charging roller 2 , the developing roller 5 and the cleaning blade 6 are integrally assembled as a process cartridge 7 .
- the cartridge 7 is detachably mounted to a predetermined mounting portion 100 B of an apparatus main assembly 100 A in a predetermined operation procedure. That is, the cartridge 7 is a part of the image forming apparatus 100 .
- a fixing device 106 In the apparatus main assembly 100 A, a fixing device 106 , a feeding roller 105 as a feeding means of a transfer material P, and an electrical component substrate (not shown) for carrying out electrical control of the apparatus.
- the charging roller 2 is rotationally driven in contact with the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 with a predetermined pressing force, and a predetermined charging bias is applied from a charging bias voltage source (not shown) to the charging roller 2 , so that the drum 1 is electrically charged to a predetermined polarity and a predetermined potential.
- the developing roller 5 is rotationally driven in contact with the surface of the drum 1 with a predetermined pressing force and carries and feeds toner (developer) accommodated in a toner accommodating portion 31 c , to a developing position which is a contact position with the drum 1 , and thus supplies the toner to the photosensitive drum surface.
- toner developer
- a developing position which is a contact position with the drum 1
- the toner is deposited, so that the electrostatic latent image is developed (visualized) as a toner image.
- a predetermined developing bias is applied from a developing bias voltage source (not shown).
- the transfer roller 104 is rotationally driven in contact with the surface of the drum 1 with a predetermined pressing force, and to the transfer roller 104 , a predetermined transfer bias is applied from a transfer bias voltage source (not shown). Then, the toner image is transferred from the surface of the drum 1 onto the transfer material P fed to a transfer nip between the transfer roller 104 and the drum 1 .
- the transfer material P on which the toner image is transferred is fed to the fixing device 106 , where predetermined pressure and heat are applied to the transfer material, whereby the toner image is fixed on the transfer material P. Thereafter, the transfer material P is discharged to an outside of the image forming apparatus 100 by a discharging roller pair 107 .
- the cleaning blade 6 removes transfer residual toner remaining on the surface of the drum 1 after the transfer and collects the toner in a residual toner accommodating portion 21 c . Subsequently, the above-described process is similarly repeated.
- FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the cartridge 7 .
- the cartridge 7 is roughly constituted by a cleaning unit 9 and a developing unit 4 .
- the cartridge 7 is prepared by holding the drum 1 , the cleaning blade 9 and the charging roller 2 by a cleaning (unit) frame 21 and by assembling these members into a unit.
- the cleaning frame 21 the residual toner accommodating portion 21 c is formed.
- the developing unit 4 is prepared by holding the developing roller 5 and a developing blade 12 by a developing (unit) frame 31 and by assembling these members into a unit.
- the toner accommodating portion 31 c is formed in the developing frame 31 .
- the developing unit 4 is swingably supported by the cleaning unit 9 by supporting portions (not shown) provided at longitudinal end portions. Further, the developing unit 4 is rotationally urged by urging springs (not shown) about the supporting portions in a direction in which the developing roller 5 contacts the drum 1 .
- a drive inputting portion engaging with a drive imparting portion (not shown) provided in the apparatus main assembly 100 A is provided, so that a rotational drive (rotational driving force) is transmitted to the drum 1 and the developing roller 5 .
- FIG. 6 is a front view of the developing unit 4 in a partial transmission state.
- the developing roller 5 which is one of the rotatable members has a constitution in which a rotation shaft 5 a of metal is coated with an elastic layer (elastic material layer) 5 b at a central portion thereof with respect to an axial direction.
- the developing roller 5 is rotatably supported at both end portions thereof by shaft supporting portions 43 and 44 provided on the developing frame 31 .
- a gear 40 which is a rotatable driving member for driving the developing roller 5 engages with a one end portion 5 c projecting further from the shaft supporting portion 43 toward an outside with respect to the axial direction (hereinafter, this portion is referred to as a “first shaft end portion”), and rotates integrally with the developing roller 5 .
- An engaging constitution of the gear 40 with the developing roller 5 will be described later as a feature of the present invention.
- the gear 40 engages with an input gear 41 .
- the input gear 41 is provided with a coupling portion 41 a on a side surface thereof, and the coupling portion 41 a engages with a drive inputting portion (not shown) provided on the apparatus main assembly 100 A side.
- the elastic layer 5 b of the developing roller 5 is disposed so as to block an opening E communicating with the toner accommodating portion 31 c ( FIG. 5 ).
- the opening Z is sealed with the developing blade 12 and a sealing sheet 47 on two long edge sides and is sealed with sealing members 45 and 46 on two short edge sides.
- rollers 48 and 49 are engaged rotatably about the rotation shaft 5 a .
- the rollers 48 and 49 are constituted so that inner diameters thereof are slightly larger than an outer diameter of the rotation shaft 5 a and so that outer diameters thereof are slightly smaller than an outer diameter of the elastic layer 5 b .
- the rollers 48 and 49 urge the drum 1 so that outer peripheral surfaces thereof contact the surface of the drum 1 , whereby the developing roller 5 can be kept in a stable contact state with the drum 1 .
- an electroconductive contact member 50 is provided so as to contact an outer peripheral surface of the rotation shaft 5 a .
- the contact member 50 includes a contact portion 50 a with the apparatus main assembly 100 A side, and a bias is applied from the apparatus main assembly 100 A side to the developing roller 5 through the contact member 50 .
- the developing roller 5 can also employ a constitution in which the coating layer 5 b of the rotation shaft 5 a is a non-elastic material layer.
- part (a) is a front view of the rotation shaft 5 a
- part (b) is a side view of the rotation shaft 5 a as viewed in an arrow S 1 direction in part (a)
- part (c) is a rear view of the rotation shaft 5 a in the neighborhood of the first shaft end portion 5 a as viewed in an arrow S 2 direction in part (b).
- the rotation shaft 5 a has a hollow cylindrical shape including a seam (connecting portion) 5 e formed by subjecting a rectangular metal plate to press bending and then by bringing end surfaces, extending in the longitudinal direction, of the rectangular metal plate into contact with each other.
- a seam (connecting portion) 5 e formed by subjecting a rectangular metal plate to press bending and then by bringing end surfaces, extending in the longitudinal direction, of the rectangular metal plate into contact with each other.
- the rotation shaft 5 a can be prepared with a lower cost and a lighter weight than those of a solid metal shaft.
- the rotation shaft 5 a is provided with circumferentially projected portions 5 f at one end surface arranged in the longitudinal direction and is provided with circumferentially recessed portions 5 g at the other end surface, opposing the one end surface, arranged in the longitudinal direction.
- the structure of the above-described rotation shaft 5 a is summarized as follows.
- the rotation shaft 5 a has the hollow cylindrical shape.
- the rotation shaft 5 a includes the seam (connecting portion) 5 e extending from one end to the other end thereof with respect to an axial direction 0 - 0 (phantom line).
- the seam 5 e is constituted by the recessed portions 5 g and the projected portions 5 f which are formed on one side and the other side thereof and is in the form such that he projected portions 5 f on one side engage with the recessed portions 5 g on the other side and that the projected portions 5 f on the other side engage with the recessed portions on one side and thus one side and the other side of the seam 5 e are connected with each other.
- the first shaft end portion 5 c is a plane perpendicular to an axis 0 - 0 of the rotation shaft 5 a . Further, at a part of the first shaft end portion 5 c , as shown in parts (b) and (c) of FIG. 1 , a cut-away portion (recessed portion) 5 h which penetrating the rectangular metal plate and which has a twisted U-shape is provided. That is, as shown in part (c) of FIG. 1 , with respect to the axial direction of the rotation shaft 5 a , the cut-away portion 5 h has such a shape as to be recessed from a longitudinal end of the first shaft end portion 5 c toward a central portion of the rotation shaft 5 a .
- a phase in which the cut-away portion 5 h is provided is opposite from a phase in which the seam 5 e is provided. That is, the cut-away portion 5 h is disposed opposed to the seam 5 e with respect to the axis 0 - 0 of the rotation shaft 5 a .
- the rectangular metal plate forming the rotation shaft 5 a has a predetermined thickness, and therefore, when the cut-away portion 5 h penetrating the rectangular metal plate is provided, the cut-away portion 5 h includes an end surface corresponding to a thickness of the rectangular metal plate.
- a twist direction of the cut-away portion 5 h is determined by the rotational direction of the rotation shaft 5 a .
- the cut-away portion 5 h has such a shape that the cut-away portion 5 h is twisted toward a downstream side with respect to the rotational direction (i.e., twisted downwardly in the figure) with an increasing distance from the first shaft end portion 5 c toward the second shaft end portion 5 d .
- the cut-away portion 5 h can be prepared inexpensively by being punched simultaneously when the metal plate is stamped into a rectangular shape.
- part (a) is a perspective view showing a state of the developing roller 5 and the gear 40 before engagement
- part (b) is a partial front view of the developing roller 5 and the gear 40 in a partial transmission state.
- the gear 40 includes a positioning portion 40 b constituted by a flat surface perpendicular to the axis 0 - 0 .
- the positioning portion 40 b contacts the first shaft end portion 5 c of the rotation shaft 5 a and determines a position of the gear 40 relative to the rotation shaft 5 a in contact with the first shaft end portion 5 c of the rotation shaft 5 a.
- the gear 40 includes a shaft centering portion 40 c having the same diameter as an inner diameter of the rotation shaft 5 a .
- the shaft centering portion 40 c engages with an inner peripheral surface of the rotation shaft 5 a and determines the position of the rotation shaft 5 a so that an axial center thereof aligns (overlaps) with the rotation shaft 5 a .
- the gear 40 includes a regulating surface 40 e , and the regulating surface 40 e contacts a regulating surface 31 a of the developing frame 31 , so that a position of the gear 40 relative to the developing frame 31 with respect to the axial direction is regulated.
- the gear 40 includes, on an outer peripheral surface of the shaft centering portion 40 c , a gear portion 40 a which is a drive receiving portion for receiving rotational drive from the apparatus main assembly 100 A and a boss 40 d perpendicular to the axis of the shaft centering portion 40 c .
- a gear portion 40 a which is a drive receiving portion for receiving rotational drive from the apparatus main assembly 100 A
- a boss 40 d perpendicular to the axis of the shaft centering portion 40 c .
- the gear 40 receives the drive (driving force) from the input gear 41 and is rotated in the arrow W direction in the figure.
- the gear portion 40 a is a helical gear, and a clockwise helix angle ⁇ is provided so that when the gear portion 40 a receives the drive, an axial directional force A generates in a direction (from right to left in the figure) in which the gear portion 40 a is drawn into the developing frame 31 .
- the axial directional force A By the axial directional force A, the regulating surface 40 e of the gear 40 contacts the regulating surface 31 a of the developing frame 31 .
- the boss 40 d contacts an end surface 5 j which is a part of the end surface of the cut-away portion 5 h and which is provided on a downstream side with respect to the rotational direction W (hereinafter, the end surface 5 j is referred to as a drive transmitting portion), so that the rotational drive is transmitted to the developing roller 5 .
- the rotation shaft 5 a includes the drive transmitting portion 5 j ; for receiving the rotational drive, in the neighborhood of the first shaft end portion 5 c which is one end thereof.
- the drive transmitting portion 5 j is provided as the end surface 5 j twisted or inclined toward the downstream side with respect to the rotational direction W of the developing roller 5 with an increasing distance from the first shaft end portion 5 c toward the second shaft end portion 5 d which is the other end. That is, the end surface 5 j is a surface twisted or inclined with respect to the axial direction of the rotation shaft 5 a.
- the rotation shaft 5 a is provided so as to close the gap 5 k between the projected portions 5 f and the recessed portions 5 g with respect to the axial direction, and therefore, even in the case where the drive is transmitted to the rotation shaft 5 a , an increase in gap between the shaft centering portion 40 c and the inner peripheral surface of the rotation shaft 5 a is suppressed. As a result, a rotational fluctuation due to eccentricity is suppressed.
- a component force (component of force) A exerted on the gear portion 40 a in the axial direction and a component force B in a circumferential direction are represented by the following formulas.
- A B tan ⁇ (1)
- B 2 T/D (2)
- the rotation shaft 5 a receives a force from the boss 40 d at the drive transmitting portion 5 j .
- the component force a in the axial direction acts in a direction in which the developing roller 5 is drawn to the gear 40 .
- the first shaft end portion 5 c of the developing roller 5 contacts the positioning portion 40 b , so that the position of the developing roller 5 relative to the gear 40 with respect to the axial direction is determined.
- the component force A exerted by the input gear 41 in the axial direction and the reaction force a exerted by the developing roller 5 in the axial direction act. Both the forces act in a direction in which the gear 40 is drawn into the developing frame 31 .
- the regulating surface 40 e of the gear 40 contacts the regulating surface 31 a , so that the position of the gear 40 relative to the developing frame 31 with respect to the axial direction is determined.
- the position of the developing roller 5 relative to the developing frame 31 with respect to the axial direction is determined through the gear 40 .
- the developing roller 5 can be rotated without bringing the second shaft end portion 5 d into contact with the developing frame 31 , so that rotation accuracy is not influenced even when an uneven portion such as a press work trace is formed on the second shaft end portion 5 d . Accordingly, there is no need to smoothly process the second shaft end portion 5 d after the press work, and therefore, the developing roller 5 can be manufactured inexpensively.
- the rotation shaft 5 a and the gear 40 attract each other during rotation so as not to loosened, and therefore, it is possible to suppress a rotational fluctuation and a positional fluctuation of the developing roller 5 .
- 51 represents the developer supplying roller and includes an elastic material layer 51 (or a non-elastic material layer) coating a rotation shaft 51 a , and supplies the toner (developer) to the developing roller 5 for supplying the toner to the drum 1 .
- the developer supplying roller 51 is contacted to the developing roller 5 and is rotationally driven at a contact portion with the developing roller 5 in a direction opposite to the rotational direction W of the developing roller 5 , and not only supplies the toner to the developing roller 5 but also peels the excessive toner off the developing roller 5 at the same time.
- the present invention is applied to the rotation shaft 5 a of the developing roller 5 which is one of the rotatable members, but is also similarly applicable to the rotation shaft 51 a of the developer supplying roller 51 .
- the present invention is applied to the rotation shaft 5 a of the developing roller 5 which is one of the rotatable members, but is also similarly applicable to the rotation shaft 51 a of the developer supplying roller 51 .
- an effect of suppressing a rotational fluctuation and a positional fluctuation of the developer supplying roller 51 can be obtained.
- the charging roller 2 a rotation shaft structure similar to that of the developing roller 5 in this embodiment and a structure for driving the developing roller are applicable.
- the charging roller 2 includes, as shown in part (b) of FIG. 7 , a rotation shaft 2 a and an elastic material layer (or non-elastic material layer) 2 b coating the rotation shaft 2 a and electrically charges the drum 1 in contact with the drum 1 .
- part (a) is a perspective view showing a state before engagement between a developing roller 5 and a gear 40
- part (b) is a sectional view of the gear 40 .
- the developing roller 5 includes a rotation shaft 5 a having a circumferentially twisted end surface 5 n in the neighborhood of a first shaft end portion 5 c and provided with a hole 5 m penetrating a rectangular metal plate.
- the rectangular metal plate has a predetermined thickness, and therefore, when the hole 5 m penetrating the rectangular metal plate is formed, the hole 5 m is provided with an end surface corresponding to the thickness of the rectangular metal plate. A part of the end surface is the end surface 5 n .
- a fracture surface of the end surface 5 n has such a shape that the fracture surface is twisted toward a downstream side with respect to the rotational direction (i.e., twisted downwardly in the figure) with an increasing distance from the first shaft end portion 5 c toward the second shaft end portion 5 d .
- a phase in which the hole 5 m is provided is opposite from a phase in which the seam 5 e is provided. That is, the hole 5 m is disposed opposed to the seam 5 e with respect to the axis 0 - 0 .
- the hole 5 m penetrates the rotation shaft 5 a from an outside to a hollow portion (communicates the outside of the rotation shaft 5 a with the hollow portion of the rotation shaft 5 a ) with respect to a direction crossing the axis 0 - 0 .
- a snap-fitting portion 40 g is provided on an outer peripheral surface of a shaft centering portion 40 c so as to be perpendicular to an axis of the shaft centering portion 40 c .
- the shaft centering portion 40 c is inserted into the first shaft end portion 5 c while flexing the snap-fitting portion 40 g , so that the snap-fitting portion 40 g and the hole 5 m are engaged with each other.
- the snap-fitting portion 40 g contacts the fracture surface 5 n (drive transmitting portion).
- the rotation shaft 5 a and the gear 40 can be fastened to each other without being loosened during the drive, and therefore, a rotational fluctuation and a positional fluctuation of the developing roller 5 can be suppressed.
- the drive transmitting portion 5 n is provided at the end surface defining the hole 5 m , so that a true circle in the neighborhood of the first shaft end portion 5 c can be formed with high accuracy. Further, helix (twist) strength of the rotation shaft 5 a in the neighborhood of the hole 5 m can be further enhanced. Further, similarly as the constitution described in Embodiment 1, the constitution in this embodiment is also applicable to the developer supplying roller 51 and the charging roller 2 .
- Embodiment 2 the end surface 5 j in Embodiment 1 and the end surface 5 n in this embodiment (Embodiment 2) were transmitting surfaces for transmitting thereto (or receiving) a driving force, for rotating the rotation shaft 5 a about the axis, from the boss 40 d or the snap-fitting portion 40 g of the gear 40 .
- the constitutions of Embodiments 1 and 2 are also applicable to an embodiment in which the drive transmitting direction is opposite to that in Embodiments 1 and 2.
- the end surface 5 j and the end surface 5 n are transmitting surfaces for transmitting the driving force to the boss 40 d or the snap-fitting portion 40 g in order to rotate the gear 40 by the driving force from the rotation shaft 5 a .
- the rotation shafts 5 a and the supporting structures and the drive transmitting structures of the rotation shafts 5 a in Embodiments 1 and 2 are applicable to a structure of the apparatus main assembly 100 A and a structure of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus, not the process cartridge 7 .
- the structures are applicable to a feeding mechanism for feeding a sheet on which the toner image is to be transferred, a transferring mechanism for transferring the toner image onto the sheet or an intermediary transfer belt, a fixing mechanism for fixing the toner image on the sheet under application of heat and/or pressure to the sheet on which the toner image is transferred, and the like mechanism.
- the electrophotographic image forming apparatus also includes an image forming apparatus of a transfer type or a direct type, in which a latent image, such as an electrostatic latent image, a magnetic latent image or a resistance pattern latent image, is formed using an electrostatic recording dielectric member or a magnetic recording (magnetic) material as the image bearing member and is developed with the developer. Also in this case, such an image forming apparatus is referred to as the electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
Abstract
Description
A=B tan α (1)
B=2T/D (2)
a=b tanθ (3)
b=2T/d (4)
Claims (20)
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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JP2017-076570 | 2017-04-07 | ||
JP2017076570A JP2018180149A (en) | 2017-04-07 | 2017-04-07 | Rotating body and process cartridge |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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US20180292766A1 US20180292766A1 (en) | 2018-10-11 |
US10191406B2 true US10191406B2 (en) | 2019-01-29 |
Family
ID=63711586
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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US15/935,440 Expired - Fee Related US10191406B2 (en) | 2017-04-07 | 2018-03-26 | Rotatable member and electrophotographic image forming apparatus including the rotatable member |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US10191406B2 (en) |
JP (1) | JP2018180149A (en) |
KR (1) | KR20180113930A (en) |
CN (1) | CN108693755A (en) |
Families Citing this family (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US10571857B2 (en) * | 2017-04-17 | 2020-02-25 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Rotatable member, process cartridge and image forming apparatus |
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JP2003302827A (en) * | 2002-04-12 | 2003-10-24 | Bridgestone Corp | Conductive roller and image forming apparatus |
JP6415198B2 (en) * | 2013-09-12 | 2018-10-31 | キヤノン株式会社 | cartridge |
JP6671997B2 (en) * | 2015-02-05 | 2020-03-25 | キヤノン株式会社 | Cartridge, photoreceptor unit, electrophotographic image forming apparatus |
CN205827076U (en) * | 2016-05-31 | 2016-12-21 | 江西亿铂电子科技有限公司 | A kind of box being detachably mounted in imaging device |
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2017
- 2017-04-07 JP JP2017076570A patent/JP2018180149A/en active Pending
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2018
- 2018-03-26 US US15/935,440 patent/US10191406B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2018-03-30 CN CN201810274634.4A patent/CN108693755A/en active Pending
- 2018-04-04 KR KR1020180039414A patent/KR20180113930A/en active IP Right Grant
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Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
US20180292766A1 (en) | 2018-10-11 |
JP2018180149A (en) | 2018-11-15 |
CN108693755A (en) | 2018-10-23 |
KR20180113930A (en) | 2018-10-17 |
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